Dr. Ken Weaver named dean of Emporia State University’s Teachers College

May 17, 2012

An educator with more than 40 years experience in the profession is the new dean of The Teachers College at Emporia State University.

Dr. Ken Weaver, currently associate dean of the college, was named to the lead position Thursday, May 17, 2012. He replaces Dr. Phil Bennett, who retires June 9.

“After a national search, Dr. Weaver's track record as a leader having served as a department chair, interim dean and associate dean will be invaluable to The Teachers College as it continues its legacy of excellence,” said Provost Tes Mehring in making the announcement. “Ken is respected as an excellent teacher and scholar, and is actively engaged in his profession and university committees.”

Emporia State’s Teachers College is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a one of only three models for teacher education. It recently earned reaccreditation from NCATE, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

“Ken’s experience with accreditation in many disciplines housed within the college will position programs well for continued recognition,” Mehring added.

“The Teachers College has sustained excellence preparing professionals and serving Kansans for nearly 150 years,” Weaver said, noting that The Teachers College includes more than education preparation programs. It also includes nationally recognized and accredited undergraduate and graduate programs in mental health, rehabilitation services, art therapy, psychology, athletic training, recreation and leadership.

“As the new dean of The Teachers College, I look forward to engaging our students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as our P-12 partners in USD 253 and throughout the state, our community college partners, the business community and elected officials to create new opportunities for excellence.

“We must work together to provide the best opportunities to develop our students to meet the needs of the people of Kansas and the nation through teaching them, healing them and strengthening them,” Weaver said.

Weaver received his bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s of education degree in science education from the University of South Carolina and his Ph.D. in educational psychology from Columbia University.

He has served the Emporia State community since 1986, but his teacher career began long before that. In 1973, he served as a Peace Corps volunteers in rural public health education in a small fishing village in the Philippines. After returning to the United States, he taught seventh- and eighth-grade science in Aiken, S.C., and remains certified to teach middle- and high-school science in both South Carolina and Kansas.

During Weaver’s 26 years at Emporia State, he not only has taught education and psychology classes, but he also has directed the Emporia State Honors Program and the 1992 Kansas Regents Honors Academy. He has served as chair of the Department of Psychology and Special Education and associate dean and interim dean of The Teachers College. In 1999, Weaver was named the Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor.

A Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Weaver recently finished chairing the American Psychological Association working group that developed national guidelines for credentialing high school psychology teachers. He received the 2002 Robert S. Daniel award for teaching excellence from APA's Society for Teaching of Psychology and the 2006 Florence L. Denmark National Faculty Advisor Award from Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology.

He currently is president of the Kansas Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and has written more than 50 articles, 10 chapters, a study guide for a textbook and a book on statistics.

Weaver also is well-known in the Emporia community where he and his wife, Katherine, have raised four children. Weaver has served as a Boy Scout and Cub Scout leader and youth softball coach.

He credits the support of his family for much of his success. Katherine Weaver is a substitute teacher for Emporia Public Schools. Daughter Merriam Weaver graduated from Emporia State University and works as a rehabilitation counselor in Bowling Green, Ohio. Son Andrew is a graduate student at Kansas State University. Daughter Katie is completing her junior year at Emporia State and has been accepted to the pharmacy school at the University of Kansas in the fall. Daughter Janet plans to major in teacher education when she enters Emporia State in the fall.

Emporia State University is a dynamic and progressive student-centered learning community that fosters student success through engagement in academic excellence, community and global involvement, and the pursuit of personal and professional fulfillment.